Best Tablets 2015

Sleeker, faster and even more beautiful, the iPad Air 2 boasts an even more eye-popping Retina Display in a design that's 18 percent thinner than the original Air. An anti-reflective coating seriously cuts down on glare when you're outdoors. The Air 2 also packs a much faster A8X chip, which delivers jaw-dropping graphics in a new wave of games, as well as more horsepower for exciting new video editing apps. A sharper 8-MP iSight camera (complete with slow motion video recording) and long battery life -- not to mention more than 675,000 apps -- solidify the Air 2 as our favorite tablet.

Dell's Venue 7 isn't just a great choice for those looking for a small tablet, it's perfect for budget-conscious shoppers as well. For just $160, you get an Intel Atom Z3460 processor, 1GB f RAM and 16GB of flash memory. All that's wrapped up inside a sleek 7-inch Android KitKat slate with a 1280 x 800 IPS display and excellent audio. Plus, the Venue 7 is packing 8 hours and 14 minutes of battery endurance.

The Dell Venue 8 7000 wins for the best Android tablet. This $399 slate features a sharp 8.4-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel display. The premium Lollipop Android tablet operates is super slim, measuring only 6mm thin. The best part; it'll last all day. On the Laptop Mag Battery Test, it endured for 10 hours.

Don't want to shell out for a TV? Lenovo's Yoga Tablet 2 Pro ($469) upsizes the Android KitKat experience by packing an onboard projector so you can cast your multimedia 50 inches wide on any wall. On its own, 13-inch tablet's QHD screen is gorgeous enough for your Netflix binges, and the powerful JBL speakers packs enough volume for a small audience. On top of that, a sturdy kickstand for easy hands-free viewing and useful software make the sleek and sexy Yoga Tablet 2 Pro a winning entertainment device.

The Microsoft Surface 3 is double trouble, working as both a Windows 8.1 tablet and a laptop. At $599, this machine will last up to 8 hours on a charge. It features one of the brightest, most colorful screens around, and comes with a three-position kickstand. The comfortable, snappy keyboard, which goes for an additional $129, attaches easily to the tablet transforming it into a laptop. It also comes with a free year of Office 365.

No one has broken the $100 price barrier with a good tablet -- until now. The Fire 6 packs a bright HD (1280 x 800-pixel) screen in a sturdy design that comes in multiple fun colors. The new Fire OS makes it easy to set up profiles for your kids, and Amazon continues to offer best-in-class parental controls. Other perks include a solid 8.5 hours of battery life and zippy quad-core performance. Amazon Prime member? You and your child will love the gobs of free videos, music, books and more.

Amazon took its excellent Fire HD 6 tablet and one-upped themselves to make the best kid-friendly tablet around. Not only will you enjoy the 1280 x 800-pixel, 6-inch display and zippy performance, but you'll also get best-in-class parental controls. But the real treat in this case-clad tablet, and the reason you'll pay an extra $50 for it, is that it comes with a 2-year worry-free warranty. No matter what Junior does to the HD 6 Kids Edition, Amazon will replace it. Plus, it comes with a full year of FreeTime Unlimited for full access to more than 5,000 kid-friendly books, movies, TV shows, educational apps and games.

The Shield Tablet provides seriously fast performance (thanks to Nvidia's K1 processor) along with an versatile stylus and a gorgeous 1920 x 1200 display -- all in a sleek 8-inch design. Throw in the world's first Wi-Fi Direct gaming controller and the ability to stream PC games and you've got a lean, mean machine that successfully bridges the gap between mobile and PC gaming.

Editors' Note: Nvidia issued a voluntary recall of its 8-inch Shield tablets sold between July 2015 and July 2015. The tablets can overheat, posing a fire hazard. Nvidia will replace affected units with new ones.

Packing a whopping battery life of 12 hours, and coming with a detachable Bluetooth keyboard, the Windows 8.1-powered Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 is great for work and play. At $349, this tablet is not as pricey as some of its competitors and can still hold its own, thanks to it stellar display. As a bonus, it comes with a free one-year subscription to Office 365 and 1TB of cloud storage on OneDrive.